1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-sensitive material processing apparatus for processing an image-wise exposed light-sensitive material, while the light-sensitive material is being conveyed through and immersed in a processing solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light-sensitive material on which an image has been exposed, e.g., a presensitized printing plate for planographic process, is transported into a presensitized printing plate processor, which is a light-sensitive material processing apparatus, and is subjected to development in a developing tank provided in the presensitized printing plate processor, and is then washed in a rinsing tank or a washing tank before a finisher, i.e., a finishing solution, is applied thereto.
A developer is stored in the developing tank, and the presensitized printing plate for planographic process is conveyed to the developing tank and immersed in the developer therein so as to undergo development. During the conveyance through and immersion in the developer, non-image portions on the surfaces of the presensitized printing plate for planographic process on which the image has been exposed are scraped off by means of brushes disposed in the developer, and an image portion is kept intact for development.
With the conventional light-sensitive material processing apparatus, however, the brushes for scraping the surfaces of the light-sensitive material are formed by being embedded in their shafts, so that the diameter of the brushes becomes large at 50 mm. In addition, the shafts also become large in diameter and are exposed to the outside from the surface of the processing solution. For this reason, there is a problem in that if the large-diameter brushes rotate, the processing solution is sucked up, thereby deteriorating the processing solution as it is brought into contact with the air. Furthermore, the size of the developing tank in which the large-diameter brushes are disposed is disadvantageously large.
In addition, if a brush with embedded bristles having an outside diameter of 50 mm or less is fabricated unreasonably, the bending strength of the bristles of the brush becomes large, resulting in problems that the surface of the light-sensitive material is damaged and bending the rear-end portion of the light.sensitive material occurs as the rear-end portion of the light.sensitive material is kicked up by the brush.
In addition, it has been proposed to use a channel brush (bristles are formed by being supported in an elongated channel) instead of the brush with embedded bristles. However, since the channel brush is fabricated by being wound spirally in a channel formed in the shaft, a gap corresponding to the width of the channel is created between adjacent portions of the brush wound. For this reason, it is impossible for the channel brush to uniformly scrape the surface of the light.sensitive material, resulting in an unevenness in the development of the light.sensitive material.